updated 08:00 am EDT, Thu March 25, 2010

CBS does end-run around Flash for iPad videos

CBS has publicly revealed that it has begun testing videos optimized for the iPad and bypass Flash entirely. Episodes of shows such as CSI: Miami and The Young and the Restless have been marked as "iPad - test" and, if visited by a browser identifying itself as an iPad, takes the user to a special HTML5 page that would load the clip in a frame. The videos themselves don't currently work, but HTML5 extras like a full-screen mode already work.

The change would represent one of the first major media sites reworking its web video explicitly for the Apple tablet and is an indirect rejection of Adobe's claims about Flash. It has argued that Apple has been depriving the iPhone and iPad of content by not allowing Flash into the browser, but CBS' use of HTML5 would signal that even major content producers are choosing to use the newer web standard's plugin-free video rather than either hope for Apple to adopt Flash or else develop a native app as a workaround.

Other sites, such as Hulu, may have a more difficult time implementing HTML5 as they may carry subscription fees or may need extra code for interstitial ads. [viaMacRumors]

The tide turning

Yes, I'm sure all those companies out there are really saying 'thanks Apple!" for basically forcing their hands into spending extra money to add non-Flash support, just because Apple has decided Flash must go.

Of course, they still have to make sure they prevent streaming video from being captured, which is an important factor to these sites. They don't want you storing video and copying it all over the place, you know.

And wouldn't it be funny if their HTML5 video wasn't mp4 but ogg, and Apple doesn't support that!